Summer is around the corner, and unlike last year’s unusual postponements that largely took place in the autumn, festivals are back in full swing. New York City’s biggest music festival, Governors Ball, is one of them — after nearly 10 years of being held on NYC’s Randall’s Island, organizers made the decision last year to move the festival to the parking lot of Citi Field in Queens, ensuring that if there was an onslaught of summer storms, no one would be stuck on a literal island trying to get out of the wind and rain.
Though it’s only been a little over eight months since the previous edition of Governors Ball, the festival is back in its usual June slot and boasts an exciting and relevant lineup of music. Headliners Kid Cudi, Halsey, and J. Cole will certainly draw the biggest crowds, but festivals are never just about the names at the top of the bill; each year, Governors Ball’s organizers do a terrific job of booking rising talent, both locally and internationally. (Check out the full lineup for 2022 here.)
This year features some massive showcase spots, even if that means getting to the festival a bit earlier. One thing that has changed from last year, however, is the total amount of stages. Instead of four stages with sets staggered back to back, there are only three stages this year, which will solve some of the heavy crowd funneling that occurred in previous years while also allowing rising artists to play with less competition for viewers.
If you’re heading to Gov Ball this weekend, it’s definitely worth it to give some of the smaller names a try — after all, they may just be headlining this very festival some day in the near future.
Here are five rising artists to catch at Governors Ball 2022.
